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Paweł Łukaszewski,
composer, b. 19th September 1968 in Częstochowa, son of the composer Wojciech Łukaszewski; he graduated from the State Secondary Music School in Częstochowa (certificate with honours, 1987), and the F. Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw after cello studies with prof. Andrzej Wróbel (1987-1992) and composition studies with prof. Marian Borkowski (1991-1995, a first honours degree). He completed a postgraduate study in the School for Managers of Culture at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (diploma in 1994) and the Postgraduate Study for Choirmasters at Bydgoszcz Music Academy (diploma with distinction in 1996). He took part in Computer Music Courses in Warsaw (1992), Courses for Young Composers in Kazimierz Dolny (1992, 1993), the Summer Courses of Contemporary Music in Cracow (1993, prof. B. Schaeffer), and Course of Computer Music Graphics in Warsaw (1993-95).
An active organiser of music life, Paweł Łukaszewski has held many functions: since 1992, he has been President of the “Musica Sacra” Association; in 1992-1993, he was the secretary of PCU Youth Circle; in 1992-2002 President of the Society for Scared Music Lovers, since 1995 – Secretary of the Board in the “Laboratory of Contemporary Music” Association in Białystok. He is a member of PCU and ZAiKS Authors’ Association. He is a member of the artistic committees of many festivals, incl. The International Festival of Sacred Music “Gaude Mater” in Częstochowa. He sits on the jury of competitions for composers, incl. The Competition for Young Composers “Musica Sacra”, of which he was the initiator and organiser. He is the director of the “Musica Sacra” chamber choir. In 2001, he was editor-in-chief of the “Muzyka21” music monthly.
P. Łukaszewski’s works have been performed at more than 100 festivals in Poland and abroad, incl., Belarus, Belgium, Canada (5th Edmonton New Music Festival), Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany (“Unerhörtemusik” Festival in Berlin), Iceland, Israel, Italy (Festival Internazionale di Musica Contemporanea "Musica Viva” in Rome), South Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the USA, the Vatican, and in Poland during festivals: of Sacred Music “Gaude Mater” in Częstochowa, “Forum of Young Composers” in Cracow, “Music in Old Cracow”, “Wratislavia Cantans”, “Laboratory of Contemporary Music” in Białystok, “Warsaw Music Encounters”, “Legnica Cantat”, “Conversatorium of Organ Music” in Legnica, „ Ryszard Bukowski Music Days” in Wrocław.
His works have been recorded on more than 30 CD albums under such labels as Acte Préalable, Polskie Nagrania Edition, DUX, MTJ. Seven of these were nominated for the Fryderyk Award of the Polish music record industry, and one (String Quartet No. 1, perf. DAFÔ Quartet, DUX 0142) won this award. His scores have been published by PWM, Edition Ferrimontana and Edizioni Carrara; recorded for the Polish Radio, Polish Television, Radio Vaticana, TV Reteblu; and broadcast on the Polish Radio, Radio France Musique and RIAS Rundfunk Berlin. In 1999 his Winterreise for string orchestra (1993) was played by the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk at the prestigious “Last Night of the Proms” concert in Cracow, under the patronage of the Duke of Kent. In 2001, the composition Ave Maria a due cori misti a cappella (1992) was performed during the investiture ceremony of the Chivalric Order of God’s Holy Tomb in Jerusalem, held in Wrocław Cathedral.
He is the winner of numerous awards and distinctions in competitions for composers: 1988 – 1st prize in a competition in Łomża and an honorable mention in the Competition of the Academic Congregation in Cracow for a religious work in Cracow for Prayer for mixed unaccompanied choir ; 1994 – 2nd prize at the 2nd Forum for Young Composers in Cracow for Winterreise, an honorable mention in the T. Baird Competition for Young Composers in Warsaw for Arrampicata for orchestra (1992), and the 1st prize in; 1995 – 1st prize of the “Orfeo” - Bogusław Kaczyński Foundation at the F. Chopin Music Academy Competition in Warsaw – also for Arrampicata; 1996 – an honorable mention in the F. Nowowiejski Competition for Composers in Warsaw and 2nd prize in the 5th A. Didur Competition for Composers in Sanok for Recordationes de Christo moriendo for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra (1996); 1998 – 2nd prize in the 27th International Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition in France for Two Lenten Motets for mixed unaccompanied choir (1995); 2003– two 3rd prizes (joint winners) in the “Pro Arte” Competition for Composers in Wrocław. He has also received: in 1995 – President of the City of Częstochowa Award for compositions and their artistic maturity; 1998 – Medal of Merit and the Award of the Chancellor of the Baltic Higher School of Humanities in Koszalin; 1998 – the Honorary Order of Merit to the Koszain Province; 1998 – Cavalier’s Cross of the Polonia Restituta Order.
He is on the faculty of the F. Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw (as assistant lecturer since 1996, reader since 2001; Director of the Counterpoint Study at the Composition Dept. since 2002. In 2000, he obtained a doctor’s degree in composition. In 2003, he was a visiting professor in Chile. He has held scholarships from: the Office of the City of Częstochowa (1993), ZAiKS (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003), Prof. Bogdan Suchodolski Foundation in Warsaw (1995), Fund for the Promotion of Artistic Creation at the Ministry of Cuture and Art (1996).